UFC 288: Aljamain Sterling aiming to silence Henry Cejudo for good
Aljamain Sterling appears at the UFC 288 news conference on Thursday, May 4, 2023 at Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey. Credit: Newsday/Ryan Gerbosi
NEWARK — It’s been three years since Henry Cejudo stepped into the octagon for a fight, but in one key way, it seems like the former two-weight UFC champion never left.
Cejudo kept up his constant trash talk on social media throughout his hiatus, which ends at UFC 288 on Saturday inside Prudential Center. Aljamain Sterling, the UFC bantamweight champion and Cejudo’s opponent, certainly noticed and didn’t appreciate the chatter.
“This is icing on the cake to smash a guy who’s been sitting on the sideline talking [expletive] and chirping at all the fighters for three years,” Sterling said during Thursday’s UFC 288 news conference. “I can’t wait to right this wrong in the universe, and that’s Henry Cejudo, get rid of him for good this time.”
The return of Cejudo meant the return of his admittedly corny attempts at humor and his use of props at press events. This time, he punted toward the crowd several child-shaped pillows featuring the faces of Sterling and some of the champion’s past opponents sporting pacifiers.
Of course none of the antics from Thursday, or years prior, will matter come Saturday. Cejudo, an Olympic gold medalist in wrestling, believes his grappling pedigree will be no match for Sterling.
“I’m just better, he telegraphs everything that he does,” Cejudo said. “When I was winning the Olympics at age 21 in front of 25,000 people, this dude had 26 losses getting a sixth-place ribbon in Division III wrestling competitions. There’s levels and you guys will find out. My striking is so much better, my wrestling is so much better.
“And,” Cejudo added, “I’ve got way better hair.”
Aljamain Sterling and Henry Cejudo face off at the UFC 288 news conference on Thursday, May 4, 2023 at Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey. Credit: Newsday/Ryan Gerbosi
Sterling, largely unmoved by the barbs, insisted he’s not taking Cejudo lightly, but the Uniondale native believes he’s a lock to retain the title.
“It’s going to be child’s play, I guarantee it,” Sterling said. “I don’t want to undermine his skills because he’s very talented, but I just think there’s going to be a unique difference with what I bring to the table versus what he’s seen in that octagon. Guaranteed.”
Team effort
One of the most popular fighters at Thursday’s news conference isn’t on Saturday’s card.
Merab Dvalishvili, Sterling’s Serra-Longo teammate and main training partner, was perhaps the most wanted man in the room, drawing cheers from the few hundred fans on hand as he took his seat ahead of the event and taking selfies with several afterward. Dvalishvili has won nine straight, but adamantly refuses to fight his friend for the title.
The No. 1 contender at bantamweight, Dvalishvili also caught the attention of Cejudo, who pointed and lobbed taunts at Dvalishvili and other local fighters supporting Sterling in the stands, telling Dvalishvili to be ready for a potential future showdown.
Ryan Gerbosi is an internet news manager for sports at Newsday.com. He also covers NYCFC and mixed martial arts and believes the designated hitter should be banned from baseball.
